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No. 620,877. Patented Mar. I4, I899. c. r. BASSETT.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

(Application filed Dec. 10, 1898.) (No Model.)

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CHARLES F. BASSETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOTTLE-FILLING MACHl N E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,877, dated March 14, 1899.

Application filed December 10, 1898- Serlal No. 698,842. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that 1, CHARLES F. BASSETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bottle-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in bottle-filling machines, and more particularly to the structure of the filling-tube, with the object in view of rendering it effective in connection with bottles having nozzles of varying sizes and irregular shapes and standing either in axial alinement with the filling-tube or oblique thereto.

In practical application of bottle-fillin g machines-such, for example, as that shown, described, and claimed in Letters Patent No. 554,999, granted to William M. Fowler on the 18th day of February, 1896-there has been more or less annoyance from bottles having their nozzles or lips distorted either during the process of manufacture or by accident, thereby permitting the inflowing liquid under pressure to escape between the lip and the temporary stopper. In attempting to stop this annoyance by inserting under pressure a temporary stopper farther down in the inte rior of the neck of the bottle the further an-v noyance was experienced of causing the bottle to be lifted bodily in removing the filler from it, and if the neck of the bottle were of brittle material and quite thin there was liability of breaking it. 4

My present invention consists in a yielding temporary stopper of such a nature and construction that it will under moderate pressure wrap. itself around the exterior of the nozzle and around the regular or irregular lips or imperfections at the mouth of the nozzle, whether the latter stand in axial alinement with the axis of the filling-tube or oblique thereto, and effectively seal the mouth or nozzle of the bottle during the filling operation.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a view of the filling-tube and temporary stopper in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a view of the same in vertical section; and Fig. 3 is a view of the same in vertical section, showing it engaged with the mouth of a bottle having an irregular lip and standing oblique to the axis of the filler.

A represents the filling-tube, through which the liquid passes from a suitable supply into the bottle to be filled. In connection with this tube there is an air-escape tube or conduit a, and around the tube A and conduit a a sliding sleeve B is arranged, which by its movement away from and toward the tip of the tube A opens and closes the air-escape conduit and filling-tube to and from the interior of the bottle.

In connection with the sleeve B there is provided a spring-actuated abutment C, the

lower end of which is rounded, as shown, to

bear against the cap D of the temporary stop per and to permit the latter to rock laterally, and thereby adjust itself squarely to the mouths of the bottles which may stand more or less obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the filling-tube.

The cap D of the filling-stopper is here shown as a shallow cup having an orifice d centrally thereof, through which the sleeve B, surrounding the filling-tube, is adapted to extend with such freedom of movement as to permit the cap D to rock laterally to a degree sufficient to accommodate all irregular bottles that are liable to be met with in filling.

The cap D covers the upper portion or surface of a block E of yielding material, preferably a material known in the art as spongerubber, the block E being provided with a central perforation of normally less diameter than the sleeve B, so that when forced into position onto the sleeve B it will be held in position by its frictional contact with the sleeve.

In operation when the block E of yielding material is forced into engagement with the nozzle of the bottle the cap D will first assume under pressure a position squarely across the mouth of the bottle, whether the latter stand in alinement with the axis of the filling-tube or obliquely thereto, and the fur-.

ther pressure on the cap D will cause the yielding block E to recede centrally,while its exterior will wrap itself around the outer margin of the lip and top of the nozzle,completely 2 cadet? depth of the mostirregular portion of the nozzleat its mouth, a thickness of an inch or more being found practical in all cases thus far tested, It is also desirable that the block E of yielding material be larger than the extreme diameter of the nozzle at its mouth, so that there may be a margin of the yielding material to adjust itself to the exterior rim of the nozzle when pressure is applied.

The sponge-rubber has been found to withstand the action of the several writing fluids in common use and is found to be so nearly perfectly elastic that it does not need renewal except at extremely long intervals, and with its well-recognized qualities for withstanding the action of all ordinary fluids, such as are commonly bottled, it becomes practically of great importance for use in this connection.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination with a bottle filling tube and means for controlling the fiow of liquid through the tube into the vessel to be filled, of a device for opening and closing the filling-tube, a thick block of yielding material such as sponge-rubber, carried by said opening and closing device, and havinga diameter su fficien tly great to wrap over the edge of the nozzle of the vessel to be filled, and means for pressing the said block of yielding material onto and around the nozzle of the vessel to be filled, substantially as set forth. 2. The combination with a filling-tube and the sliding opening and closing device arranged to cooperate with the tube, of a capplate mounted on the sliding opening and closing device in tilting adjustment and a thick block of yielding material mounted on the sliding opening and closing device in position to be operated upon by the cap-plate, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a filling-tube and a sliding opening and closing device arranged to cooperate therewith, of a cap-plate carried by the said sliding opening and closing device and arranged to tilt laterally with re spect to the tube and a block of sponge-rubher having a diameter and thickness suflicient to surround the margin of the nozzle of the Vessel to be filled when pressed upon the latter, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I have signed myname, in presence of two Witnesses, this th day of November, 1898. H

CHARLES F. BASSETT.

\Vitnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, C. S. SUNDGREN. 

